Depression and Psychological Benefits of Yoga.

Exploring the Psychological Benefits of Yoga

by Annapurna M. Hiremani*, Dr. D. M. Jyoti,

- Published in International Journal of Physical Education & Sports Sciences, E-ISSN: 2231-3745

Volume 11, Issue No. 18, Jan 2017, Pages 92 - 94 (3)

Published by: Ignited Minds Journals


ABSTRACT

Psychological benefits of yoga. We have done our best to research and discover so many wonderful benefits that this great practice has to offer. That is why we here at Yoga.org.nz will continue to practice yoga for the rest of our long rewarding lives. We wish you all the great benefits that we experience on a day to day basis. Below is a table that is a quick overview of all the benefits that we could find. This section along with the rest of this website will continue to grow. In the rat race of life, most people are enveloped in highly demanding jobs that leave them mentally as well as physically exhausted. The more sedentary your professional life gets, the higher is your anxiety. So, how do you combat such stress? The answer is inculcating yoga in your day-to-day life. Various research studies have assessed the efficacy of yoga in improving one’s mental health, and have concluded that yoga does have an array of psychological benefits. Improve your memory Do you find it difficult to concentrate. Proven to be effectual in boosting your memory and concentration, Dharana is an ideal way to clear your mind of all the excesses and calm your nerves. By silencing the static noise running through your mind, you equip yourself to focus better, remember important things, and therefore, perform better in your life.

KEYWORD

depression, psychological benefits, yoga, research, practice, benefits, table, sedentary, professional life, anxiety

INTRODUCTION

Improve your memory Do you find it difficult to concentrate. Proven to be effectual in boosting your memory and concentration, Dharana is an ideal way to clear your mind of all the excesses and calm your nerves. By silencing the static noise running through your mind, you equip yourself to focus better, remember important things, and therefore, perform better in your life. Control the ravages of traumatic experiences Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is one condition that most people suffer from after going through a rough patch in life. Flashbacks and nightmares often mark the order of the day for patients suffering from this condition, leaving them highly vulnerable. Though there are many pharmacological treatments available to combat the effects of traumatic experiences, some patients become immune to such approaches. According to the American Psychological Association, Hatha Yoga has been proven to be substantially helpful in reducing the symptoms of conditions like. Combating anxiety and depression regulate your stress levels by inculcating yoga exercises such as meditation in your daily regime. Relaxation is the key to a stress-free lifestyle; yoga is the perfect way to deal with your stress response system. Keep psychological issues at bay during adolescence is that time in one‘s life when humungous levels of hormonal changes take place. Yoga involves physical postures, meditation and breathing routines that help teenagers experience better moods. Improve your overall psychological well-being: If you continuously feel that the entire weight of the world‘s problems is on your shoulders, you might just be following a highly strenuous lifestyle. As per the British Psychological Society, yoga helps one soothe their mind as well as their body. Breathing regimes and yoga exercises have been proven to be exceedingly effective in revamping your psychological health by keeping negative elements on the wayside of your life.

PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS OF YOGA

When people talk about yoga, they often reference the physiological benefits of the practice, such as increased flexibility and decreased muscle stiffness. However, not enough is mentioned about the mental, psychological, and cognitive benefits of yoga—and there are plenty. There have been several studies done to assess the effectiveness of yoga for brain and mental health—-and the research has come back promising. With that said, here are five of the most prominent mental benefits of practicing yoga:

Kum. Annapurna M. Hiremani1* Dr. D. M. Jyoti2

1) Yoga improves your psychological/mental well-being.

Do you always seem stressed and tense. Do you feel as if you‘re carrying the entire world on your shoulders? With the help of yoga, you can definitely put throw those unhealthy feelings on the wayside. According to the British Psychological Society, yoga involves concentration on the breath and body, which makes it a great way to soothe a person‘s mind and relieve worries. By helping discharge tension and stress, yoga poses and breathing exercises keep a person free from such negative elements. As a result, a person who does yoga is better able to achieve the pink of psychological health.

2) Yoga helps with anxiety and depression.

Consisting of activities such as relaxation, meditation, socialization, and exercise, yoga has been proven helpful in reducing your anxiety and depression. According to a Harvard University article, yoga is able to accomplish this by helping regulate a person‘s stress response system. With its ability to lower blood pressure and heart rate as well as improve respiration, yoga provides you with the means to deal with and resolve anxiety and depression without resorting to expensive medications.

3) Yoga boosts memory and improves concentration.

There may come certain instances in your life when you find it difficult to concentrate on your day-to-day tasks. Thankfully, you now have an idea on how to address this issue. Yoga has been proven effective at improving your memory and concentration, according to Women‘s Fitness. For instance, Dharana, otherwise known as the practice of concentration, is the perfect way to clear your mind and calm your senses. As you remove the static noise in your head and focus your mind, you‘ll find that you‘re able to remember things, concentrate, and perform much better.

adolescence.

Adolescence is a stage in one‘s life when a variety of mental health problems are more likely to develop. With the many cases of psychological disorders diagnosed in teenagers, it has become imperative to find ways to prevent the onset of such mental health conditions. Yoga, among others, has been seen as a helpful method that can be used to protect adolescents from mental illnesses. This is according to a study published in the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. The said study had some of the subjects enrolled in PE classes centered on Kripalu Yoga. This type of yoga involves physical postures, breathing, relaxation, and meditation. In comparison to the control group, the yogis displayed better moods, lower levels of anxiety and tension, better anger control, improved resilience, and enhanced mindfulness. These are just some of the many factors that are important in the prevention of psychological conditions in teenagers.

5) Yoga reduces the effects of traumatic experiences.

Women who have been abused, as well as enlisted military personnel who have gone into battle with enemy combatants, usually develop a condition known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Patients who suffer from this mental illness frequently experience nightmares and flashbacks, to name a few of the symptoms. While some mental treatments can address the underlying factors of there are some patients who prove to be ‗immune‘ to these approaches. Particularly in cases where contemporary mental and pharmacological treatments have failed, Hatha Yoga has been shown to be effective in reducing symptoms, according to the American Psychological Association. As such, Yoga might just be a great counterattack against the ravages of traumatic experiences.

CONCLUSION:

Yoga involves physical postures, breathing, relaxation, and meditation. In comparison to the control group, the yogis displayed better moods, lower levels of anxiety and tension, better anger control, improved resilience, and enhanced mindfulness.

Kum. Annapurna M. Hiremani1* Dr. D. M. Jyoti2

http://www.apa.org/monitor/2009/11/yoga.aspx http://www.bps.org.uk/news/psychological-benefits-yoga http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletters/Harvard_Mental_Health_Letter/2009/April/Yoga-for-anxiety-and-depression http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120404101824.htm http://www.womenfitness.net/yoga_ad.htm

Corresponding Author Kum. Annapurna M. Hiremani*

Research Scholar, DOS in Physical Education & Sports Sciences, Karnataka State Women‘s University Vijayapura

E-Mail – annapurnahiremani76@gmail.com